Tag: ascorbic acid

The Federal Government has inaugurated a national technical committee to determine the safety of Benzoic and Ascorbic acid in foods.

The move is coming following the controversies generated by the recent court judgement on the rejection of some manufactured soft drinks exported from Nigeria to the United Kingdom.

Specifically, the Lagos State High Court had in a suit between Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited, and the Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, as well as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ruled that Fanta Orange and Sprite may have the potentials to be hazardous to consumers due to its incompatibility with the Benzoic Acid Standards in the United Kingdom.

Following the controversies generated by the judgement, a statement on Sunday said the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has set up a technical committee to further look into the matter.

Inaugurating the Committee in his office, Adewole alluded to the concerns raised by stakeholders on the issue and the government’s commitment to the safety and wellbeing of Nigerians.

He said the committee would determine the safety of benzoic acid in foods; determine if the use of benzoic acid can be replaced in foods; and ascertain if the levels of benzoic acid in carbonated drinks could be further reduced below 250mg/kg in Nigeria.

Others are to determine the frequency of monitoring of the safety levels of benzoic acid in foods; and to give any other advice that the National Technical Committee may deem necessary.

Members of the committee according to the statement were drawn from the Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos, the Food and Drugs Section of the Federal Ministry of Health, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control.

The committee is chaired by Professor Babajide Alo of UNILAG and had two weeks to submit its report to the health minister

Its findings would form necessary data for consideration in future review of the Nigerian Industrial Standards for carbonated drinks which provides the benchmark for the product quality in the country.